As the website EUobserverreported last week, Israeli embassies routinely “refer to the IHRA definition” when they file formal diplomatic complaints against EU criticisms of Israeli war crimes in Palestine. Such criticisms are toothless, considering that the EU often enables Israel’s crimes.

In the UK, Israel lobby groups successfully pressured the opposition Labour Party to adopt the “working definition.”

But even that was not enough, and a great media stink was made about the party’s initial reluctance to adopt all the accompanying “examples” that that IHRA’s document claims are anti-Semitic.

The declaration approved by the EU was drafted during that conference, which targeted anti-Zionism. Netanyahu had agreed to attend the conference but cancelled because of instability in his coalition government.

Austria wanted an even more extreme version, and one of its earlier drafts called on EU states to adopt the definition “including illustrating examples.”

This was taken out of the final declaration, which describes the definition as “non-legally binding.”

This disingenuous phrase is used in the IHRA document itself. In reality though, the definition is constantly used to police speech critical of Israel.

Events this year in the UK’s Labour Party illustrate that more than ever.

The “working definition” is now being used to push people out of their jobs.

Suspended for calling Israel racist

Paul Jonson, an employee of Dudley Council near Birmingham, was suspended from his job in October after he helped organize a protest against a local member of parliament Ian Austin – an outspoken promoter of Israeli propaganda.

What was Jonson’s “crime”? Posting on Facebook the phrase “stand with Palestine, Israel is a racist endeavour” as part of his promotion of the protest.

A campaigner with local Palestine solidarity groups, Jonson told The Electronic Intifada that council bosses have cited the IHRA “working definition” – which the local authority has adopted – as justification for his suspension.

The council’s chief executive told a local paper in October that Jonson was under investigation.

Jonson told The Electronic Intifada that the paper’s headline about his “suspension” was the first he’d heard of it.